Well-testing tool



June 12, 192s.

C. T. NEITZEL WELL TESTING TOOL Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet June 12, 19728. l

c. T. NElTzEL WELL TESTING TOOL Filed July 18, 1927 vention and in position in a Patented June 1,2, 1928.

a UNITED STATES CONRAD T. NEITZEL, OF DALLAS, TEXAS,

ASSIGNOR TO BRODIE H. AS'HBY, OF DALLAS,

TEXAS.

WELL-TESTING TOOL.

Application led July 18, 1927. Serial No. 206,703.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well testing tools.

One object of the invention is to provide a tool with certain advantageous improvements on the tool illustrated in my Letters Patent No. 1,625,140, issued April 19, 1927, and particularly to eliminate the pins and thus obviate the holes therefor, in the cushion or packer, whereby said packer is given greater strength and is less likely to rupture.

A particular object of the invention is to provide mens whereby the tool may be seated and packed off before the valve is opened, thus assuring a proper seat and the shutting oif of the fluid below the packer before the said valve is opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide means independent of the packer for closing the valve so that if the packer ruptures or breaks up and fails to assume its normal form, the valve will be closed and the Huid trapped,

A further'obj ect of the invention is to provide an attachment for a tool so that it may be seated on the bottom of the hole withut counter-boring a rat tail hole.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a testing tool in which the parts are so designed and Varranged as to make for ready and easy assembly, economy i the cost of manufacture and simplicity and efficiency in operation, as well as for accessibility and compactness.

Still another object of the invention is t0 provide valved outlets above the packer for setting up a circulation of iiushing iiuid down through the string of pipe and up the outside thereof in case 'the tool becomes stuck in the hole or the well walls cave in, thus freeing the tool and permitting its withdrawal in such even A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which' an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a tool constructed in accordance with the inwell ready to be seated, expanded and operated,

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tool in elevation,

`reduced shank 11 having Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showin@ one of the valved outlets,

ig. 7 is an elevation of a bottom hole attachment, and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a cylindrical head surmounted by a a tapered screwthreaded pin 12 at its upper end. The head has a central cylindrical bore 13 in its lower portion, while in the shank is a central cylindrical chamber 14 separated from the bore by aninternal collar 15.

A tubular mandrel 16 has vits upper portion screwed into the collar 15 which latter is threaded for this purpose. A lock ring 16 screwed onto the threaded portion of the mandrel engages the underside of the collar 15. A pair of locking pins 17 embedded equally in the collar and mandrel, prevent unscrewing of the mandrel. The upper end of the mandrel is reduced above the collar to form a valve cage 18 protruding into the chamber 14. The upper end of the cage is sealed bya plug 19.

A sleeve 20 surrounding the mandrel telescopes upwardly into the bore 13. The sleeve has a reduced stem 21 depending from an annular shoulder 22. A disk 28 slid upwardly on the stem engages the shoulder. The disk is supported on the upper end of an inverted conical plug 24 formed of rubber, fibre, metal or any other material suitable for the purpose. The cone is supported by a collar 25 screwed onto the lower end of the stem. The sleeve has opposite vertical slots 26 receiving the end of a cross pin through opposite vertical slots 28 in the mandrel. A coiled retaining spring 29 confined within the mandrel has its upper end engaged over the pin 27. While its lower end is attached to a pin end of the mandrel. This spring'functions to normally hold the cross pin 27 at the bottoms of the slots 28, whereby the tops of the slots 26 rest upon said pin, thus supporting the sleeve 20.

27 extending 100 30 near the lower 105 In the space provided between the bottom of the head and the disk 23 a rubber or other packer 31 is snugly fitted around the sleeve. This packer normally extends radially beyond the head and disk. The sleeve 20 with its stem 21, the disk 23, and plug 24'constitute a support for the packer when the tool is at the bottom of the well, and these in turn support the packer which yieldably supports the head and mandrel. When the head and mandrel are moved downwardly relatively of the plug 24 the packer is compressed and radially expanded.

A tubular valve bushing 32 is slidably confined in the upper end of the mandrel and the pin 27 passes through the lower end of the bushing. The bus iing is open at both ends and near its upper end has op osite ports 33. The upper end of the bushing extends into the valve cage 18 so as to normally close ports 34 therein. As a precaution against leaking, a packing 35 is conlined on the bushing by a nut 36 and normally covers the ports 34. A second packing 37 embedded in the mandrel is confined within the stem 21 and prevents fluid passing upward.

When ythe tool is in its inoperative position, the packer 31 separates the head 10 and the plug' 24,'whereby the mandrel 16 is held to its elevated position and the sleeve 20 hangs on the ends of the pin 27 which is held at the bottom of the slots 28 by the spring 29. This supports the ports 34 above the Orts 33, as is shown in Fig. 1. In assembiling the device or for removing the valve bushing 32, the plug It sometimes occurs 19 is removed.

that the tool becomes stuck in the well hole as by the walls caving in or from other causes. In order to flush the hole above the packer, I provide valved outlets on opposite sides of the head 10 and shank 11. Each of these outlets includes a valve chamber 38 extending inwardly, as is best shown in Fig. 6. At the inner end of the chamber is a counter-bored port 39 communicating with the chamber 14. A screwthreaded cap 40 is inserted in the outer end of the chamber 38.

A valve 41 for closing the port is actuated by a coiled spring 42 1n the valve chamber. The valve has a central stem 43 extended into the port and surrounded b a packing washer 44 of suitable material.

he spring forces the washer into sealing engagement with the inner end of the chamber surrounding the port, thus closing the latter. By removing the cap 40 the spring and valve may be taken out. A downwardly inclined duct 45 leads from the bottom of the valve chamber, its upper end being normally closed by the valve and washer.

In one method of operating the tool, a shoulder A is formed by counter-boring or rat-tailing a hole B at the bottom of the well by means of a drill or other tool. The string of pipe (not shown) is then removed from the well, the drill disconnected and the pin 12 of the testin tool is inserted 1n the collar of the pipe w ich is then lowered into the hole. lVith this method a perforated tube 46 having a cap 47 at its lower end is attached to the lower end of the mandrel 16 by a collar 48. The mandrel normally extends a short distance below thc stem 21 and collar 25.

As the tool approaches the bottom of the well, the tube will enter the rat tail hole B. The pipe is lowered until the conical plug 24 comes to rest on the shoulder' A. The weight of the tool and pipe will firmly seat the plug so as to pack off the top of the holc B. f rubber or yieldable material is used for the plug a better seat will be had.

There are numerous instances where the top of the hole B cannot be packed off sufficienlly to prevent the upward escape of gas and oil and therefore the packer 3l becomes an important element of thc tool. When the plug 24 comes to rest upon the shoulder A and the weight of the pipe is let -down upon the head 10, the sleeve 2() will be held stationary by the plug 24, while the head 10 and mandrel 16 will be moved downwardly.

The downward movement of the head will compress the. packer 31 and cause it to cxpand radially into engagement willi the side walls of the well above the shoulder A, thus effectively packing ofi` the bottom of the well and preventing the upward escape of fluid. By reason of the slots 26 in the stationary sleeve and the retaining spring 29, the mandrel 16 will move downwardly without opening the valve, until the piu 27 comes to rest in the bottoms of the said slots 26; there being clearances between the ends of the pin and the bore of the packer. This movcmentgives the packer opportunity under usual conditions to engage the walls of the well before the valve is'opened.

When the in 27 comes to rest upon the bottoms of tie slots 26, further downward movement of said pin is prevented and the valve bushing 32 is thus supported against further downward movement. Continued downward movement of the head 10 causes a like movement of the mandrel 16 and its cage 18 relative of the bushing, the slots 28 compensating the in 27. The downward movement is limited) by the ring 16 striking the top of the sleeve 20, at which point the ports 34 will be brought into register with the ports 33, whereby the valve is opened.

When the valve is opened fluid may enter the tube 46 through its perforations and pass up through' the mandrel 16 and valve bushing 32, escaping into the chamber 14 by way of the registered ports 33 and 34, from which chamber it may pass upward through the pipe to which the tool is attached. It the fluid does not How by its own pressure it may be pumped above the valve.

lVhen suliicient Huid for a test has been accumulated above the valve the -tool is lifted. The compressed packer 31 holds the plug 24 to its seat until the head and mandrel are returned to their normal positions, thus closing the valve and trapping the fluid. The spring 29 which Was extended by the opening of the valve holds the pin 27 on the bottoms of the slots 26 until said pin is engaged by the bottoms of the slots 28, after which the spring holds the bushing in its closed position.

Should the packer 8l become damaged it will be seen that the plug 24 and sleeve 20 Will tend to slide down the mandrel which Will be lifted with the head. This Will permit the spring 29 to close the valve and the test Huid will not be lost. Where it is not desired to rat tail the bottom of the Well the tube 46 is detached and the collar 25 is also removed. A comparatively short anchor tube 49 is attached to the stem 21 by a collar 50. This anchor tube is long enough, when resting on the bottom of the well and vsupporting the plug 24, to permit a downward travel of the mandrel 16 thereinto sufficient to open the valve.

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts, as Well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

l. In a Well testing tool, a head having a sample retaining chamber and a valve member carried therein, a supporting and packing plug, a. separate expanding side Wall packer disposed intermediate the plug and head, means to permit relative movement o the plug and head, a valve carried by the plug and cooperating with the valve member of the head, and spring means for holding the valve in closed position relative to said valve member until the side Wall packer has been expanded.

2. In a Well testing tool, a central mandrel, a valve memberattached to the mandrel, a head rigidly mounted on the mandrel, a sleeve in which the mandrel is slidable, a plug carried by the sleeve, an expanding packer carried by the plug and supporting the head, a valve bushing Within the mandrel having ports adapted to register with ports in the valve member, and spring means for preventing operation ot' the valve bushing until the packer has been compressed and expanded.

3. In a Well testing tool` a valve having outlet ports, a central tubular mandrel provided With outlet ports, said valve being normally supported by the mandrel, a coiled spring Vfor holding the valve to its seat, means for supporting the valve independently of the mandrel after a predetermined movement of the mandrel, an expanding packer, a support tor the packer. and means resting on the packer for supporting the mandrel.

4. In a well testing tool, a valve having outlet ports, a central tubular mandrel provided With outletports, saifl valve being normally supported by the mandrel, a coiled spring for holding the valve to its seat, means for supporting the valve independently of the mandrel after a predetermined movement of the mandrel, a plug slidably receiving the mandrel, an expanding packer supported by the plug, and supporting means estling upon the packer carrying the man- 5. In a Well testing tool, a valve having outlet ports, a central tubular mandrel provided with inlet ports, said valve being normally supported by the mandrel, a coiled spring for holding the valve to its seat, means for supporting the valve independently of the mandrel after a predetermined movement of the mandrel, a plug slidably receiving the mandrel, an expanding packer supported by the plug, and a. head resting upon the packer and having a trapping chamber at its upper portion, the mandrel protruding into said chamber and being fastened in the head.

6.' In a Well testing tool, a central tubular mandrel having a vertical slot, a valve having sliding engagement in the mandrel, a sleeve having a vertical slot and through which the mandrel is slidable, a cross pin carried by the valve and extending into the slots of the mandrel and sleeve, a coiled spring in the mandrel connected with the valve, said pin normally resting on'the botf tom of the slot of the mandrel and engaging the top of the slot of the sleeve, an expanding packer surrounding the sleeve, and a head resting on the packer and supporting the mandrel.

7. In a Well testing tool, a head having a chamber, a tubular mandrel fastened in the head and provided with a valve cage having an outlet port opening into the chamber, a valve bushing having sliding engagement in the mandrel and cage and provided with a port normally out of register with the port of the cage, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel, means in the mandrel for retaining the valve bushing in position, an expanding packer surrounding the sleeve and supporting the head, and a support Jfor the packer mounted on the sleeve.

8. In a Well testing tool, a head having a chamber, a tubular mandrel fastened in the head and provided with a valve cage having an outlet port opening into the chamber, a valve bushing having sliding engagement in the mandrel and cage and provided with a port normally out of register with the port of the cage, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel,^means in the mandrel for retaining the valve bushing in position, an expanding acker surrounding the sleeve and supportlng the head, a support for the packer mounted on the sleeve, and a perforated fluid inlet tube connected to the lower end of the mandrel. l

9. In a well test-ing tool, a head having a chamber, a tubular mandrel fastened in the head and provided with a valve cage having an outlet port opening into the chamber, a valve bushing having sliding engagement in the mandrel and cage and provided with a port normally out of register with the port of the cage, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel, means carried by the mandrel for supporting the valve bushing, a coiled s ring within the mandrel connected with the Igushing for holding the latter in position, an expanding packer surrounding the sleeve and supporting the head, and a support for the packer mounted on the sleeve.

10. In a well testing tool, a head having a chamber, a tubular mandrel fastened in the head and provided with a valve cage having an outlet postopening into the chamber, a valve bushing having sliding engagement in the mandrel and cage and provided with a port normally out of register with the port of the cage, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel, means carried by the mandrel for supporting the valve bushing, a coiled spring within the mandrel connected with the bushing for holding the latter in position, anexpanding packer surrounding the sleeve and sup orting the head, a support for the pac er mounted on the sleeve, and a perforated fluid inlet tube connected to the lower end of the mandrel.

11. In a well testing tool, a head havin a chamber, a tubular mandrel fastened in ghe head and provided with a valve cage having an outlet ort opening into the chamber, a valve busiiing having sliding engagement in the mandrel and cage and provided with a fport normally out of register with the port o the cage, said mandrel having vertical slots, a projection carried by the bushing and extending through the slots of the mandrel, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel and provided with vertical slots receiving the projection of the bushing, a coiled spring attached to the mandrel and connected with the bushing for holding the latter in place, an expanding packer surrounding the sleeve and supporting the head, and a support forthe packer mounted on the sleeve.

12. In a well testing tool, a head having a chamber, a tubular mandrel fastened in the head and provided with a valve ca e having an outlet port opening into the c amber, a

valve bushing having sliding engagement in the mandrel and cage and provided with a port normally out of register with the port of the cage, said mandrel having vertical slots, a projection carried by the bushing and extending through the slots of the mandrel, a sleeve surrounding the mandrel and provided with vertical slots receiving the projection of the bushing, a coiled spring attached to the mandrel and connected with the bushing for holding the latter in place, an expandin packer surrounding the sleeve and supporting the head, a support for the packer mounted on the sleeve, and a perforated fluid inlet tube connected to the lower end of the mandrel.

13. In a well testing tool, a head having a chamber at its upper end and a bore at its lower end and also provided with an internally screw-threaded collar at the top of the bore, a tubular mandrel screwed into the collar and depending from the head, a valve cage at the upper end of the mandrel having an outlet port communicating with the chamber of the head, a valve havin sliding engagement in the mandrel an ca e for opening and closing the port of said cage, a, sleeve surroundin the mandrel and having at its upper end telescoping into the bore of the head, means in the bore of the head for limitin the downward movement of the head re ative of the sleeve to open the valve, a plug mounted on the sleeve,

and an expanding packer confined on the sleeve between the plug and the head.

14. In a well testing tool, a. head having a chamber at its upper end and a bore at its lower end and also provided with an internally screw-threaded collar at the top of the bore, a tubular mandrel screwed into the collar and dependin from the head a valve cage at the upper en of the mandrel having an outlet port communicating with the chamber of the head, a tubular valve bushing having slidin enga ment in the mandrel and cage an rovi ed with a port for registering with t e port of the cage2 a sleeve surrounding the mandrel and havin ils u per end telescoping into the bore o? t e wardly on the sleeve and ving means engaging the sleeve and limitin its downward movement and for causing t e registration of the ports of the cage and bushing, a plug mounted on the sleeve, an expanding packer surrounding the sleeve between the plug and the head, the mandrel and sleeve having vertical slots, a cross pin carried by the bushing and extending throu h the slots of the mandrel into the s ots of the sleeve, and a coiled sprin attached to the mandrel and connec with the cross pin, whereby said pin is normally seated in the bottom of the slots of the mandrel, thus holding the bushing in its closed position and supportin the sleeve.

15. In a. we testing tool, a head having a sample retaining chamber at its upper en ead, the head being slidable downprovided with a valve member communicating with the chamber and .outlet ducts through the side walls thereof, a valve cooperating with said valve member for permitting a liquid feed into said chamber and preventing escape therefrom, an expanding packer mounted 'to support the head, and' valves for controlling lthe outward -flow of liquid through said ducts.

16. In a well testing tool, a head having a sample retaining chamber at its upper end provided with a valve member Vcommunicating with the chamber and outlet ducts through the side Walls thereof, a valve -mitting a liquid feed cooperating with said valve member for perinto said chamber and preventing escape therefrom, means for automatically operating said valve in the seating and release of the tool, and valves confined within the outer face of the head for controlling the outfiow of liquid through said ducts.

17. In a' Well testing tool, a head having a sample retaining chamber at its upper portion provided with a valve member therein and valve chambers with outlet ducts within the side Wall of said head, a valve cooperating with said valve member for permitting a liquid feed into said chamber and preventing escape therefrom, means for automatically operating said valve in the seating and release of the tool, and valves disposed within said valve chambers for controlling -the outflow of liquid through said ducts.

18. In a well testin tool, a head having a sample retaining e amber at its upper portion provided witha valve member therein and downwardly inclined outlet ducts extending through the side wall of the head, a valve cooperating with said valve member for permitting a liquid -feed into said chamber and preventing escape therefrom, means for automatically operating said valve in the seating and release of the tool, and valves for controlling the outward flow of liquid through said duets.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

. CONRAD T. NEITZEL. 

